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February 12, 2014

Struggles Lead Us Home

Why are we all so afraid of struggle? Why do we always see it as such a negative thing? It is because we are human. It is because we are afraid. It is because the unknown is uncomfortable. We are told in the Bible many times over that God does not put struggles in our lives, but rather he allows some of our struggles and trials to take place and lead us on an unsteady course. Many people would say, "Well, if our God loves us so much, why would he allow that?" My answer to that is, "If our God loves us the way He says He does, why wouldn't he allow it?"

“If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we'll let Him finish the work. I fear, however, that we are so attention-deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty is just around the corner.”― Beth Moore

Struggles are what help us learn to trust God. Struggles are what help us to grow our faith. Struggles are what strengthen our character and mold us into the person that we were created to be in order to live out the destiny our Lord has set in front of us. Without those struggles, would we look to God? Would we find reasons to be selfless and help others? What would Society be like without struggles? Many would say society would be wonderful without any struggles and everybody would be happy. The truth of the matter is, this world would be even more corrupt and terrible than it is right now without struggles. No one would look for God, no one would grow in faith, no one would lend a hand to help another. We would not know how strong we truly are, how capable we are, and just how much we can survive.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.(John 1:5 ESV)

God allows certain things to happen in our lives in order to carry out a greater good, even if we never understand the reason why...all we have to know is the "Who". If God brought us to it, allowed it, or enables it…He will equip us for it and see us through it in order to mold us and our lives into something greater than we could've ever seen with our own eyes. Do not curse your struggles, do not wish for someone else's life, do not beg for the hard times to never come. Be grateful that God chose you as such a strong warrior, be grateful that He is constantly by your side and giving you love, mercy, and guidance. This stronger we are, the closer we feel to God. The deeper we struggle, the farther God reaches out for us.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.(Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

I am not saying our trials in life will be fun or that we should look at them as something to run out and shout on the rooftops about. They will be hard, some will last a lengthy time. But God makes no mistakes. God knows you better than you know yourself, and He knows what you need and why you need it. When looking at it this way should we be afraid of struggle? Should we feel sorry for ourselves when trials come to us? Or should we be grateful that we have a God that loves us so much that He wants to walk with us through the trials to bring us out better on the other side. That he is molding us into his perfect children so that we can inherit His Kingdom and spend eternity doing His Work. What better blessing can there be? This blessing is one in which a large part of of it is gained through struggle and hardships...but if we keep our eyes on the victory that lies on the other side, we will find ourselves forever grateful for every speed bump that has come our way!

"The most beautiful things in life first have to go through a lot of dirt before they get to blossom."